Marvel Nears Deal with Oscar-Winner Brie Larson for ‘Captain Marvel’

As predicted by many fans, buzz surrounding the upcoming Marvel film, Captain Marvel, is starting to pick up some speed. This film is important mainly because it will serve as the first Marvel film to feature a female lead superheroine. There has been a lot of speculation about who will be cast as this character and we might just have our answer with a newly minted Oscar-winning actress.

Marvel is nearing a deal with Brie Larson to play Captain Marvel (aka, Carol Danvers) in the film set for a March 8, 2019 release. If this is seriously happening, she has just soared past fan favorites like Olivia Wilde, Katee Sackhoff, and Emily Blunt. Larson won her first Oscar for Best Actress, along with several other award statues, this year for her stellar performance in Room. I predicted Larson as a possibility sometime ago (read all about it ) so although she might not strike a chord initially, the idea does warm up after a while.

What exactly is the deal with Captain Marvel?

Carol Danvers was first introduced in 1968 as a United States Air Force pilot with the Captain Marvel alter-ego. She was given her own comic book in 1977 as Ms. Marvel. Her superpowers include energy projection, superhuman strength, and flight abilities often reserved for Marvel’s “cosmic” heroes. Danvers served as an ally to the space alien, Mar-Vell.

Carol Danvers assumed the official title of Captain Marvel in 2012 as a tribute to the 1982 story, The Death of Captain Marvel. Ms. Marvel is currently Kamala Khan, Marvel’s first Muslim lead character.

What does this mean?

This casting announcement coming so soon is both expected and a bit surprising. Seeing how Captain Marvel isn’t set for release until 2019, it adds more fuel to the fire of rumors claiming we might see Captain Marvel as early as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 or Avengers 3. If Brie Larson is officially added to the cinematic universe and locked down in 2016, it gives more opportunity to feature her in some capacity prior to her solo film. Think of what Marvel just did with both Black Panther and Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War, or how Wasp was teased in Ant-Man. It’s a bit possibility that we might have some mention, or cameo, for Captain Marvel as soon as 2017.